West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-12-15


price OF the ncccSSarcS of life. as we'll as the
amount OF their wages, will regulate the meas.
uro OF their welfare and comfort
but the reduction of taxation demanded
should be - measured rs not 10 nccossi itata or
Justify either the loss OF cmploymcnt by the
working man nor tho leSScning OF his wnres,
aud the profits still remaining 60 the manu-.
iacturer, after necessary rcahjustment,
should furnish no excuse for the sacrifice OF
She interests OF his employees either in their
opportunity To work or I'm tho di-
minut.on OF their compensation. Nor
can the worker in manufactures fail
tariff is claimed To be necessary u allow the
payment OF rcmuneratiVe wages, IL certainly
results IN very large increase in tho price of
nearly all sorts of manufactures which i'm
almost countless forms, he needs for the uso
ol n mSelf and his family He receives at
the desk of his employer his wages, and per.
haps before ho reaches his home is Obliged
In. purchase for family uso Of an article
which embraces his own labor, 20 return in
the payment OF the increase in price which
Abe tariff permits the rd-earncd compens,l.
ton OF many days OF toll
The farmer aud th q agricultur,st who
manufacture nothing, but who pay ths in.
creased price which tho tariff imposes upon
every agricultural implement, upon all ho
wears and upon all he uses and owns except the
increase OF hS ilocks and herds and such
things MS his husbandry produces from the
soil, Is invited TO aid I'm maintaining tho
present situation; and he is told that n
high duty ON imported wool IL necessary for
the benefit OF those who have sheep 10 shear
IN order that tho price OF their wool may
be increased. They, OF course. nro not
reminded that tho farmer who has no sheen
Is 10y this scheme obliged, In his purchase OF
clothing aud wooden goods to pay tribute
To his fellow farmer ns we'll as 20 the unnu-
facturer and merchant; nor is any mention
made OF the fact that the sheep owners them
selves and their households, must woar cloth
ing aud use other articles manufactured from
the wool they sell nt tariff prices and thus as
consumers must return their share OF this in
creased price TO the tradesman
i think 10 may be fairly assumed that a
large proportion OF the sheep owned by the
farmers throughout the country are found
IN small Hooks numbering from twenty five
TO hlty. The duty on the grade OF imported
wool which these sheep yield IL 10 Centg
each-pound IL of the value of 30 cents or less
and II cents II of the value of more than 20
cents III tho LIBERAL estimate of six
pounds be allowed for each feeso tho
duty thereon would los GO or az cent?
and this may bo taken as the utmost
cnhanccmont of It's price 10 the farmer 10y
reason OF this duty. Eighteen dollars would
thus represent the increased price OF the wool
from twenty five sheep and thirty six dollars
that from the wool OF fifty sheep and at
present values this addition would amount 20
about one third OF It's price. II upon it's sale
tho farmer Receives this or n less tariff profit
the wool leaves his hands charged with pre,
cisely that sum, which i'm all its changes will
adhere 10 II, until IL reaches the consumer
When manufactured into cloth and other
goods and material for uSo, it's cost IA not
only increased to the extent Of the farmers
tariH profit, Lut further sum has been
added for the benefit OF the manufacturer
under the oporat on of other tariff laws
In tho meantime the day arrives Mhen
the farmer iinds u necessary TO purchase
woolen goods and material to cloGhe him.
self and family for the winter. When he
faces tho tradeSInan for that purIoe he
discovers that he IN Obliged not only 10
return i'm the way Of increased price his tariff
profit on the wool he sold and which then
perhaps lies before him i'm manufactured form
but that he must add considerable sum
thereto 20 meet a further increase in cost
cnused by tariff duty on the manufacture.
Thus In the end he is aroused 90 the fact that
ho has paid upon n moderate purchase as n
result OF the tariff scheme, which, when he
Y1.d his wool seemed so profitable, an Increase
In price more than sufficient to sweep away
all the tariff profit he received upon the wool
he produced and sold
When the numbers Of farmers engaged in
WOOL raising is compared with all the farmers
in the country aud tho small proportion they
bear 10 our population Is cOnsi Tered: when 10
" nind3 apparent that in the case Of large
part Of those who own sheep the benefit OF the
present tariff on wool Is illusory and above all
when IL must he conceded that the increase OF
the cost Of living caused by such tariff becomes
burden upon tho3e with moderate means
and the poor, the employed and unemployed,
the sick and well, and the young and old and
That ~ constitutes n tax which with relontless
grasp faSteng upon the clothing OF every
man, woman, and child in the land, roasons
arc s1ggostel why tho removal or reduction
of this duty should be included I'm o revision
OF our tariff lawi
In speaking Of tho increased cnyt TO the con
suiner Of OR home manufactures. resulting
from duty laid upon Imported articles OF the
saIue description the fact is not overlooked
that compel tioh among otr domestic pro
ducers FOuietimes has the oiIo 1t OF Keeping tho
price Of their products le'ow the highest limit
allowed by such duty. But II is notorious that
this comp titiOn Is too often strangled by
combinations quite prevalent at this time,
and frequently cal.cl trusts, which have for
th.ir Ogiect th regulation OF tho supply and
price OF commodities male ard sold by mem.
bers Of tho combinations The people can
hardly hope for any consideration I'm the
operation Of these selfish schemes
If, however in the absence OF such conbi.
i,1tion, n healthy and fras coupetlt,oS rc
duc's the price Of any particular dutabis
crt Gle Of home production below tiie limit
which 10 might otherwise reach under our
tariff avs, and ~ with such rcdu"ed price,
lts manufacture continues to thrive, 10 IS On
tircly evidoft that ono thing has been discoy.
cred Which shoul be- c1rrfIlly a,rutiui cd in
an effort 90 Toduco t1xdtiJu
Toe necessity Of combination 70 maintain
The price of any commodity b. the tariff
point, furnishes proof that some one is willing
- accept lower prices for such commodity,
and that such prices are rcmunarntys; aud
lower prices pfOducoi by competition prove
the same thing. Thus Who're either OF these
conditions exist, caeo would scem 10 b. pro
bented for on ensy reduction of taxation.
The considerations which have been pre-
sented touching our tariff laws are intended
only 10 enforce nm earnest recommendation
that the surplus revenues Of che % Ovcrieueub
be prevented by the reduction Of our customs
duties, md at The Same time, 90 emphasize "a
suggestion that Doc accomplishing this purpO r.
yg6 may dis barge double duty ~ our pcop.o
by granting 60 them a measure ~ relief from
tarih taxation in quarters where D. is mott
needed md from sources where 10 can DO
most fairly and justly accorded.
Nor can the presentation made NJ such CON
siderationg be, with Dny degree u fairness,
regarded as evidence Of unfricndl ness
toward our manufacturing Interests, or ~ any
lack OF appreciation N their value and i'm
pOrtanco
These interests constitute n load.ng end
most substantial element Of our national
greatness and furnish Tho proud proof Of our
cOuntry's progress But if in The emergency
That presses upon us our mamufaC Cturcrs are
asked 70 surrender something for the public
cool and 20 avert disaster their patriotism. .as
well as n grateful recognition n advantages
already afforded, should lead them e. willing
cooperation. No domand is made hat they
shall fOrcgo all the benefits of governmental
regard, but they cannot fail tOb De- admonishcd
OF their duty, ns well as their enlightened self
interest and safety when they are reminded OF
tho fact that financial panic and collapse 20
which the present condition tends, afford no
crrenfar chatter or 20 offr fnanufao-